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Re: Cost of Living

That's a good question - I should add something like that to our main site's expat guide (http://www.yourkrabi.com/krabi-expat-guide.php)

However it's a difficult one to answer without knowing a bit about you.

As with the rest of Thailand, there are expats living here in local shophouses paying 2000 baht a month rent, eating noodle soup, drinking beer at the minimart and driving a Honda Dream - they probably live on little more a month than the local Thais. On the other hand, there are those who build their own villa, drive a BMW, send their kids to private school, go on foreign holidays etc etc.

Most expats are somewhere in between.

Have you already lived somewhere else in Thailand, or will this be your first time in the country? It's probably easier to answer if you can compare with where you are now or were before. E.g. Krabi is a lot more expensive than Chiang Mai.

Also if you could give some indication of your own standard of living (or what you expect), then it would be easier to put a figure on it - e.g. satellite TV, private education for children (if any), air conditioning running all day and night etc. If you don't want to give out personal info, send me an email [email protected] and I will be happy to answer.

Re: Cost of Living

The email I sent came back as failed delivery. So I will put my info here. This will be our first time in Thailand. My salary includes a 4000 baht permonth housing allowance. I knowhtere is an apartment near the school (Nawattaphume International School) that we can rent for about $80 US dollars a month. We will want a scooter and two bicycles. We have a laptop so we would like to have internet in our apartment. We would like airconditioning but probably wont run it 24 hours a day. We would like to have two cell phones. Satellite tv we can live without we would like a tv an dvd player to watch movies on. We want to take advantage of our time and travel as much as we can through out asia. We would enjoy shopping at the local markets (my husband loves to cook and is extremely interested in learning to cook Thai food). We will eat out but would probably enjoy local restuarants and of course we will eat out at McDonalds and other western restaurants once in awhile. We enjoy exploring, hiking, the beach, canoeing, fishing. We would like to know the cost of basic ammenities-- utilities, food, etc.,. We will have no kids enrolled in shcool. I appreciate any info you can give.Thank youAmanda Brooksher

Re: Cost of Living

Hi, sorry for the late reply. I also got your email, but will reply here in case the info will help others...

First the most important thing: does your apartment have a phone line????This can not at all be taken for granted in Krabi - the majority of homes, and especially houses for rent, do not have a landline. So your internet connection may be through a mobile / cell phone only.

Here are some rough prices that might help you with your budgeting - though I think 40,000 Baht a month should allow you to live comfortably - once you have your basics (scooter, TV etc.) bought.

Re: Cost of Living

Thanks that will help a lot. I will have to check about the phone line. We actually may end up in another apartment that is about .5 miles from the water. This apartment is furnished so some of the items we would already have. Do you know if there are ever used scooter for sale? Any other info or advice you have would be greatly appreciated.Amanda

Re: Cost of Living

[Electricity for a small home per month - 1000 - 1500 baht

Hi. I have been thinking of renting something in Krabi.The price is 10 000 Bath a month. The apartment have a living room with kitchen corner, a bath room with hot shower, a bed room and a balcony.The rental rate includes high speed internet, water and cable tv. Electricity is 5 Baht/kWh.Is this a ok price? What about electricity? Is this expencive, or a ok price? How much do you think i use in electricity a month?

Re: Cost of Living

Hi. Line. That is not to bad. But I can tell you we renting a 2 bedroom appartment in Ao Nang for 4000 a month. But the ceiling fall down on one of the rainy days in May! Now we renting a new 1 bedroom bungalow not so far from Ao Nang for 6000. There is a lot of places for rent and the price is low at this moment.

Re: Cost of Living

Also 5 baht a unit for electricity seems very expensive, the current rate from the government provider (the rate that your landlord will be paying, unless electricity is provided by private generator, like in Railay) is less than 0.7 baht a unit!.

The figure quoted above is based on the government price, so you expect to pay up to 7 times that at your landlord's rates. I would call that a hidden cost!

Re: Cost of Living

Hi Amanda and everyone.My boyfriend and I + our dog are also moving to Ao Nang; mid September 2009. This thread has been very helpful! I hope too meet all of you when we arrive. All advice is so welcome, when you are new to expat life!

Re: Cost of Living

Well amanda if you want to live in aonang krabi... my estimated cost of living there all in all for the house, food, other expenses... is around 50,000 baht if you want to live comforably there.. i hope this one helps thanks good luck in living in aonang krabi

Re: Cost of Living

Have you already lived about abroad in Thailand, or will this be your aboriginal time in the country? It's apparently easier to acknowledgment if you can analyze with area you are now or were before. E.g. Krabi is a lot added big-ticket than Chiang Mai.